The method according to the present invention for detecting a person in a space may have the advantage of being a compromise between complexity and simplicity: Complex situations, such as persons in unusual poses, with unusual clothes, or persons that are partially concealed, are processed with little effort. In this connection, it should be noted that the “detection of a person” is understood to also include the detection of specific body parts.
During the search, the presented method concentrates on comparatively few body parts that can be detected in a reliable and fast manner, such as the head. If the head of an occupant is in an unusual position in the motor vehicle, or if there are two occupants per seat in the motor vehicle, or if there exist partial concealments of the body, the respective heads are still found because there is no need to bring a complete human model into line with the scene.
The method provides different sub-models for a body part, the different sub-models being a function of the method in the case of different clothing and headgear.
Therefore, the method of the present invention is superior both to the model-free method and to a complex, complete CAD model because it can also cope with atypical scenarios. “Model-free” means that here the volume distribution, or other characteristics such as the curvature or texture, are directly evaluated by a classifier. A serious disadvantage of this method is that not all situations (such as the pose or clothing) can be covered in the training. This results in poor detection performance for model-free approaches.
Unlike the CAD model, the method according to the present invention is fast because only a few parameters are estimated. For a fast algorithm, rather than all measured values, it may be that only those of the volume to be examined may have to be taken into account to adapt a sub-model. The method according to the present invention has the characteristic that a hierarchical model of a human is adapted to the spatial data of a depth sensor. This depth sensor, for example, has high resolution. For example, the organization of the model and the method of adaptation to the spatial data of the depth sensor may be advantageous. In this context, the model may be a shape model (surface model) of the human body. The model may be designed to be articulatable, i.e., movable, and to be able to describe different forms of bodies and clothing.
According to an example embodiment, the complete model may be adapted to follow the person over time by further adapting the sub-models using the data at predetermined intervals. This allows a so-called “tracking”; a complete adaptation no longer being needed, but the detected body parts being trackable in space and time.
According to an example embodiment, at least one body part, such as the head, the shoulder, or also, for example, the chest of a human, is of importance for the classification of an occupant, especially in automotive applications such as restraint systems or occupant condition monitoring. Moreover, these body parts may be easy to recognize.
Moreover, it may be beneficial that intensity information from the data is used, the intensity information being texture characteristics, such as gray levels of the gray image or color values of the color image, which are each determined by an imaging sensor. These texture characteristics may then be associated with individual body parts in order to associate more detailed information with the individual body parts. This also allows consistency checking to be able to detect a person.
However, the general consistency check may be performed using the position parameters that define the relationship between the individual sub-models associated with the different body parts. This consistency check allows the adaptation of the sub-models by the measured sensor values to lead to reasonable values changes.
Moreover, the complete model may be transmitted for occupant classification to a restraint system in a vehicle in which the person is located. This then allows, for example, detection of persons; the system primarily detecting the posture of the occupant to identify a dangerous position of the occupant with respect to air bags and belt pretensioners. Thus, the so-called “out-of-position positions” are identified to prevent activation of the air bags in such positions in order to avoid injuries. The so-called “tracking” allows dynamic out-of-position sensing. Thus, the posture of the occupant is detected in real time. This may play a role in the case of fast movements of the head relative to the sensor, which are induced, for example, by vehicle decelerations during braking maneuvers or collisions. Here, it is also possible to classify the occupants based on size or biometric conditions, such as the average head radius or the shoulder width.
Another use of the method according to the present invention is the anti-pinch protection for extremities or objects in power windows. Extremity detection can also be used for gesture recognition. Monitoring the passenger compartment while the vehicle is parked may also be an application of the method according to an example embodiment of the present invention. This may be used, for example, in a car alarm system. It is also possible to automatically operate the child security door lock against accidental opening if a child has been detected by the method according to the present invention. In combination with a temperature sensor, it is possible to adjust the temperature by opening and closing the windows, or by controlling the air conditioning, in case a person or, for example, a child is alone in the vehicle. Convenience features may also benefit from an example embodiment of the method according to the present invention. The adjustment of headrests, mirrors, sun visors, steering wheel and/or contoured seats can be carried out automatically. The control of other systems that require the exact position of the head is rendered possible, inter alia, a hands-free kit, head-up displays, or noise control systems. Other methods, for example, for identifying the occupants, or eye localization are aided by a precise localization of the head, if necessary, along with an orientation measurement.
The depth sensor takes the form, for example, of an image pickup. Above all, a video sensor, such as a stereo camera system or a multi-camera system, may be used here. Also usable here are a distance-measuring matrix sensor using the transit-time principle or the phase-measuring principle, a laser scanner, a laser radar, or structured lighting. Further, the distance-measuring matrix sensor may use a microwave radar, or the measuring principle may be based on the emission of sound waves (ultrasound), or an arbitrary electromagnetic radiation (visible light, invisible light, microwaves).
Likewise, the representation of the sub-models contained in the modules can take completely different forms, such as CAD data, measurement data, triangulated data, superquadrics, or two-dimensional descriptions.